Titans Together
by haleybop134
Summary: What if Beast Boy was actually a brooding, angry shape-shifter who was constantly afraid of letting his inner demons control his actions? What if Raven was the Tower's resident prankster and the comic relief? Let's find out shall we? AU where Raven and BB's personalities are switched. Rated T (possibly change to M alter on) for swearing and violence. Pairings to come
1. The Beast Within

So this is the 'start' of a series I want to work on. It's a slight AU in that Raven and Beast Boy's personalities (the dark creepy Goth and the practical jokester) and switched. I will also be writing the characters as if they're in their late teens and early twenties. So you may see swearing, violence, and some sexual situations.

Eventually once I get more pieces written they may be strung together to recreate the episodes of the show but for now they're coming out in a weird order so that's how I'm writing them.

Also as a disclaimer I used to have an account 'Angel13490' which had the same story idea and I will be heavily editing stories from that old account as well.

Any questions feel free to PM me or leave the question in a review and I'll post an answer in the next chapter.

Without further ado I give you: The Beast Within.

WARNING: contains tons of swearing

* * *

"You did what?!"

Robin winced as the statement echoed through the empty room. It had taken him half an hour to convince Garfield to follow him into the store room and leave Raven's side but now he had to make sure he stayed put.

"Gar, look-"

A threatening growl ripped through Gar's chest and his green eyes narrowed dangerously, "No, for once in your life Robin just shut the fuck up."

The masked man was stunned for a moment and he took a deep breath, "I know you're upset but I-"

"I don't care about your excuses," Gar snarled. "You had no right to call him."

"I have every right. I have to decide what's best for this team and I needed information-,"

Gar barked out a hollow laugh. "Which you could have just asked me but instead you decided to go behind my back and inform fucking Mento about my-"

"You weren't exactly in a talking mood when we finally got you back here," Robin retorted. "You're lucky we found you before the SWAT team did."

"Oh am I? Should I fall on my fucking knees and beg for your forgiveness?"

"A little gratitude couldn't hurt!" Robin's fists were shaking and he wanted to lash out so badly. Gar sneered at him, showing off all his teeth in a display of dominance.

"You know how many calls I'm going to have to field from him now? Not to mention the others and-"

"I'm sorry!" Robin screamed, red faced. He pressed the heels of his hands into his eyes. "Gar I'm fucking sorry I called him. I didn't know what to do. I thought..." He shook his head.

"You thought I killed her."

"No-"

"You did. I don't need to be coddled about this situation, I know I fucked up bad and I'm prepared to deal with it. But right now I don't need you breathing down my neck and I would appreciate it if you could refrain from telling _Mento _about our team business."

Robin ground his teeth together, now he understood why Bruce insisted on working solo. He watched Gar pace the length of the room, every few moments he would cock his head intensely then go back to pacing restlessly.

"She's not awake yet is she?"

"If she is Vic's got her sedated."

Robin let out a shaky breath, trying to regain his composure. The anxiety of the past two days was wearing on him, his stomach was empty and he wanted to rip something apart. "Gar, I'll handle Mento."

The man shook his head, "You've done enough Robin."

Suddenly Vic's voice crackled through the PA system, "Guys she's waking up."

Gar took a large stride towards the door and glowered as Robin put up a hand to stop him. "Move."

"Gar, I need you to stay out of there."

Without warning the shape shifter's body twisted into a cheetah and he darted through the door and up the stairs. Robin swore and chased after him, his legs crying out from exhaustion. He wondered how Gar had the energy to run like that after the past few days. Above them he heard a clamor of voices and then a piercing scream from Raven.

When he burst in the room he found absolute chaos. Raven's powers crackled through the air making his hair stand on end. Across from her Gar was being held by Starfire who had a starbolt aimed at his face, her eyes ablaze with green fury. Cyborg was attempting to console Raven who was still screaming, her eyes fastened on Gar.

"Vic, make her stop!" Robin ordered, trying to regain control of the situation. He took a step towards Gar to help Starfire but was seized by a claw of Raven's soul self. The wind was knocked from his lungs and he felt his head slam against the wall. Dazed he struggled to his feet only to find himself face to face with a snarling Garfield.

"Let me go, Starfire!" he howled, squirming in her grip to reach Raven.

Raven let out another blood curdling scream and Cyborg was also thrown clear of her bed. The big man hit Starfire who lost her grip on Gar's throat. He took advantage and leapt across them towards Raven, but a blast of energy from her chakra threw him face first into the wall. Tears were streaming down the empath's face and her powers struck out at the equipment shelves, sending bandages and other medical supplies flying in a whirlwind around the room.

"Enough! Robin, Gar, get out now!" Cyborg yelled, fighting past the barrage.

"But-,"

"She's going in to shock right now and your alpha male bullshit isn't helping!" the metal man prepped a needle for an IV. "Star, hold her down."

Without another word Gar spun on his heel and left the room, Robin close on his heels. They practically spilled into the hallway then went right back each others throats but before another word could be spoken they both heard a loud and heart wrenching sob from inside the med bay. Gar's face went smooth and he held his breath for a long thirty seconds.

"Downstairs, now." Robin growled.

"Fuck off," the shape shifter shouldered past Robin and took the stairs to the roof two at a time.

* * *

Here's the first part, hope you guys enjoyed. I recently bought the whole show on DVD so I'm rewatching episodes to get a feel for everything again. It's been a LONG time since I wrote fanfiction :)


	2. How to Break a Changeling

Welcome to chapter two. I know it's not been very long since my last update but this practically wrote itself and I figured I'd just leave it here...

* * *

_How to Break a Changeling_

_Three Days Earlier_

"Gar!"

The shape shifter looked up from his biology textbook as Raven descended from a swirling black portal. She was wearing what could only be described as a shit-eating grin with her hands held behind her back. He sighed heavily and closed the textbook.

"Raven," he greeted the empath with a halfhearted smile. She was positively bouncing with joy, rocking back and forth on her heels. He glanced under the table and found she wasn't even standing on the ground, she didn't even seem to take notice of her levitation. "How was the mall?"

"Friend Raven showed me the joy of hair clippings!" Starfire's voice burst into the room and Gar's smile faltered as the alien twirled around. All throughout her fiery red hair were bedazzled butterflies and colorful twisty-ties. Most of them didn't serve any real purpose, they just shimmered in the alien's hair making little rainbows as she twirled around and around.

Raven grinned at him sheepishly, "I honestly tried to make her only buy one."

"I'm sure you did," he looked sideways at the girls who were both staring at him in utter excitement. "What?"

"Oh! Raven has bought you something most wondrous!" Starfire giggled with absolute glee, her face awash in excitement.

"Close your eyes," Raven urged.

Gar resisted the urge to roll his eyes and managed a semi-genuine smile for them before he shut his eyes and held out his hands obediently. He heard the crinkling of paper then the smell of dust and leather filled the air and he wrinkled his nose to gather the scents in. The girls laughed again and he felt his cheeks flush red from the unusual amount of attention. A small weight was placed in his hands and he rubbed his fingers across worn leather with soft raised letters.

"Open!" Raven pleaded.

His emerald eyes opened and he couldn't help the grin that spread over his face. In his hands was an old and well loved copy of Darwin's _Origin of Species_. With a careful finger he flipped to the first few pages and found a copyright page. The book had been printed in 1905 and there were faint sketches in the margins of some pages along with a short note in the front cover that he would have to decipher later. He fanned through the pages, enjoying the assault of scents on his delicate nose.

"Do you like it?"

"Raven," he grinned up at her like an idiot. "Where did you find this? It's…beautiful."

The girl shrugged, a blush covering her pale features, "There's an antique store across town, the one I found that old spell book in once, and they've had it in the window for awhile and I knew that if you saw it you'd gripe about the sun yellowing the pages and whatnot so I thought it would look better on your shelf and so I bought it."

Gar's face finally resumed its normal stoicism although with a slight glow of reverence as he placed his new book atop his textbook. He ran his fingers over the cover once more, reveling in the sensation for a moment. When he looked up again Starfire had wandered into the kitchen while Raven had plopped into the booth across from him. A small pink bag sat at her side with distinct gold lettering and Gar immediately averted his eyes but the telepath didn't seem to notice. She was playing a game on her phone, her fingers flying over the screen as she swiped at something and growled in annoyance when the screen flashed red.

"How'd you know?"

His voice was so soft he wasn't sure she'd heard it at first. But after a moment she looked at him with a slight shrug. "Victor told me you really liked that Darwin guy and then I saw the book in the store."

Gar sighed a bit, "Do you even know who Darwin was?"

From underneath her lashes purple eyes glared straight into his soul but before Raven could respond the entire room was bathed in a red light and the alarm began to whine above their heads.

"Titans!" Robin's familiar voice barked.

* * *

Starbolts peppered the ground, lighting up the warehouse with an unearthly glow. Starfire's battle cry rang out and dug into Gar's bones. The sound rallied him from where he'd been tossed aside like a rag doll. He picked himself up and crouched, waiting for an opportune moment to pounce. His limbs twisted and bent into the paws of a Bengal tiger, his powerful jaws opened and he responded to his teammate's yell as he threw himself onto Adonis' back, screaming like the hellcat he was.

Adonis bellowed wordlessly and tried to grab hold of the changeling. A sonic blast struck his side and he lunged at Cyborg's fleeing form.

"Raven!" Cyborg yelled, scrambling to escape the path of the hulking villain. His feet pounded on the concrete and a whirling black portal opened up before his eyes. He threw himself through then watched from a safe distance as Raven delivered a spinning kick to Adonis' jawbone. She flipped out of his reach and gathered her energy once more around her hands.

Adonis didn't seem to notice the brutal blow she'd delivered and tried to grab onto Gar who was still yowling and slashing at the suit. Finally his oversized fingers grabbed onto the shape shifter and he threw him at Raven with all his might.

"Raven, the chemicals!" Robin yelled from somewhere overhead.

Raven pushed outwards with one hand trying to raise a shield around the chemical vat but Gar's body slammed into her and they both went tumbling into a container.

Starfire rushed to aid her friends while Robin and Cyborg peppered Adonis with more explosives and attacks from two sides. The alien hovered above the chemicals for a moment then spotted a pair of heads bobbing to the surface. She swooped down and quickly pulled the two from the dripping vat their clothes caked in green muck. Gar immediately vomited a pile up and stuck his fingers back down his throat to remove the rest.

"Why didn't you morph?" Raven demanded, wiping the muck from her eyes.

Gar's only response was a second retching sound. The empath scowled angrily then rose to her feet.

"My friend are you sure-"

"I'm fine Starfire, lay off already," she glanced back at Gar who was still coughing and sneezing the muck from his body. "Make sure he stays out of my way."

Gar snorted another pile of goop from his nose, "The fuck is her problem?"

Starfire glared at him for cursing, "Gar, will you be alright?" her eyes were fastened on their teammates as they continued to battle Adonis.

"Ya just-,"

His words were drowned out by a screeching noise. Raven's powers were encasing Adonis' armor, peeling it off him like layers. The man squealed in fear as the empath flew at him for another round of kicking.

"Raven!"

"Raven stop!"

Their teammate seemed unable to hear their pleas as she threw the last piece of armor in a far corner. Her grin was predatory as she approached Adonis' limp form. Gar sprang to his feet and transformed into a ram, just as Raven went for another devastating blow he slammed into her. His ears picked up on the sound of her ribs breaking but almost immediately they reknit themselves. He and Raven went to the floor in a heap, he quickly resumed his human form and gripped her arms to restrain her.

"Enough, Raven. He's down."

With little effort she pulled out of his grip and glared at him. The look sent a chill down his spine and he felt the ice cold push of her empathy against his mental barriers. Gar bared his teeth at her, shoving back against her with his white hot fury. Raven simply quirked a brow at him and the feeling left his head.

"Um...good going Raven," Cyborg muttered as Robin placed cuffs on Adonis and Starfire began rounding up the pieces of his suit.

"Is everything alright?" Robin asked.

"Just fine," Raven replied. There was something off about her smile, it wasn't the usual joyful grin they knew but was something...darker.

* * *

As the team rode home in the car Gar felt Raven's eyes on him. The sensation made him squirm in the seat next to Starfire and when they reached the garage of the tower he tried to bolt for his room but Robin grabbed him first.

"You two need to be decontaminated and checked out in the med bay. Vic will meet you up there when we're done unloading Adonis' suit."

Gar tried not to groan in frustration, out of the corner of his eye he saw Raven levitate upwards into a portal so he took the stairs slowly, trying to keep his thoughts straight. He had a sinking feeling that the chemicals were going to make him ill again and once he reached the med bay door he found himself flying to the sink, emptying his stomach once more. He heard Raven chuckle from a corner of the room as he rinsed out his mouth.

"What's so funny?"

"You are," her voice was like silk to his ears. He was surprised to see her perched on one of the beds, her legs crossed over each other with a coy expression on her face. For a brief moment Gar thought she was playing some sort of elaborate joke but then he caught the glint in her eye and a shudder ran through him.

"What's the matter, Gar?" she purred, her smile widening.

"Nothing, I just um..."

Raven rolled her eyes slightly, "You certainly do have a way with words."

Gar tilted his head to the side, examining his teammate with a critical eye. There was something definitely off about her but he couldn't place what it was. He'd seen her act like this on rare occasions when their fights with criminals got a little too intense. There was something unsettling about the way she could revel in the heat of battle, like she fed off it, but afterwards it quickly faded away to her usual demeanor. This was certainly different.  
"Raven are you sure you're feeling alright?"

The empath gave him the same smile and he felt her power slide around his mental walls. Her violet eyes held his emerald ones and she slowly got off the bed and walked up to him. The scent of tea mixed with the sweat of battle filled his nostrils and he took a deep breath before he could stop himself. Raven laughed, it was deep and sensual, nothing like her usual laughter. Her fingers pressed against a hole in his uniform, his collarbone needed resetting. Suddenly she pushed hard against the bone and he yowled in pain like an animal. Raven's face lit up with an expression of glee and reached for him again.

"Hands off!" Gar rumbled, he pushed her back on the bed, capturing her wrists and holding the lithe girl still.

"Oh you're no fun," Raven pouted at him. Suddenly her expression changed to one of fear and tears began filling her eyes. Gar tried to see where the change had come from, perhaps an injury she was just now realizing but nothing seemed amiss.

Behind them the doors hissed open and Victor walked in, already flipping switches to prepare the decontamination process. When his eyes fell on the pair of them he scowled.

"What the hell, Gar? Let her go!"

Gar realized their position and gaped at Raven who was still crying but he caught the same glint in her eye. He felt Victor's hand grab his shoulder and roughly pull them apart. The bigger man examined Raven's wrists carefully, throwing glares at Gar the whole while. Raven sniffled a bit and he had to restrain the huge eye roll he felt coming on.

"What happened?" Vic demanded.

"It's my fault!" Raven protested, to both their surprises. "We were arguing about what happened at the warehouse and..." she trailed off, her voice full of implications.

Without another word Vic threw a towel at Gar and pointed towards the decontamination shower. The shape shifter kept his face stoic and went to clean off, the others' murmured voices in his ears.

* * *

After the events in the med bay Gar resolved to keep away from Raven until she came out of this strange new mood. Normally she was a late sleeper, emerging from her room no earlier than noon but the next morning he found her already in the gym at five am. He tried to do his weight routine but as soon as she noticed his presence she tried to corner him.

"Is there something you needed, Raven?" he grunted as he replaced a set of free weights. Sweat was pouring down his back and he couldn't say that the girl's presence was helping any.

"Just enjoying the view," Raven's smile curled enticingly and Gar swallowed a low rumble in his throat.

He continued to work for a few more minutes but the staring was making him crazy. Out of the corner of his eye he could see her start for the corner and he relaxed thinking she was going to meditate. Instead she took down a yoga mat from the wall and began doing one of Starfire's routines.

In Gar's mind the room shrunk down to a pinpoint as Raven shed her loose t-shirt and shoes. Her pale skin stuck out against her black leggings and sports bra. The shape shifter couldn't tear his eyes away from her as she bent forward into a stretch. He stared at her like an idiot until she peeked over her shoulder with that same strange smile.

"Who's enjoying the view now?"

Her comment made Gar's face burn hotter than he ever thought possible. His throat constricted and his vision flashed red. A chill went through his body, Raven's empathy pushing at him, trying to get a read on his emotions or influence them with her own. Gar tried to shut his eyes and regain some semblance of sanity but Raven began to saunter, and since when the hell did Raven _saunter_, closer to him. Her scent filled his nose and a strangled noise erupted from his mouth. The girl laughed, the sound tickling his ears pleasantly.

"What're-," Gar's breath hitched as Raven pressed against his chest, her thin fingers slipping under his tank top and tracing the planes of his chest. He growled low in the back of his throat, pressing his nose to the top of her head and breathing deeply. Raven laughed against his skin.

"Don't you ever get _tired_ of denying yourself, Garfield?" her voice was heavy with intent but Gar was too far gone. The feeling in his throat had moved to his chest and he thought he was going to burst. His hands were trembling with the effort it took to retain his human form.

"Raven, stop this. Please," the words sounded pitiful to his own ears. He shuddered again as her fingers found his and guided them to her bare sides. He gripped her tightly and, without thinking, bared his fangs in a wicked smile. Instead of recoiling the girl smiled at him and touched one of the fangs with her fingertip. She traced the sharp edge, her dark eyes boring into his.

"Tell me what you want Garfield," she whispered the words into his ear, standing on tiptoe to reach. Her body was flush against his and he took another deep breath of her scent. "Tell me what you _desire_."

"Raven?"

Fuck.


	3. Things Fall Apart

_Okay, been a good while since my last update. Struggled with this one. Not satisfied with the ending so I could really use some feedback on that. Also taking ideas for a short piece to showcase Raven's new personality. I LOVE writing Gar as a moody grouchy tough guy but Raven eludes me somewhat. Anyways read and enjoy!_

* * *

_The Beast Within: Part 3_

_or_

_When Things Fall Apart_

* * *

The instant Robin's voice reached their ears Raven jerked out of Gar's grasp, her face contorting into one of anger. Gar's eyes widened in surprise and he tried to dodge the incoming blow but the back of Raven's hand struck his face and he felt one of her rings cut into the flesh of his cheek. With a low whine he backed away from her, noting the slight grin on her face. Without another word to either of the boys she fled from the room.

Gar only wished he was so lucky.

"What exactly is going on with you? Victor told me what happened in the med bay last night."

Of course he did.

"And now this. Is there something I need to know about?"

Gar had to restrain himself, the urge to shake the smaller man by his shoulders was a bit overwhelming. Their leader was only doing his duty but the shape shifter had tired of this game with Raven.

"No," the word hands in the air between them until Gar left for the locker rooms. Robin lingered behind, looking over the gym. His sharp eyes caught Raven's t-shirt in a heap on the floor and the masked gaze narrowed.

* * *

Gar's room was one of the more interesting rooms in the Tower. His walls mimicked the long grass and bright blue sky of the African savannah. If one looked closely one could see various animals hiding in the scene, off in the distance or perched amongst the leaves of the trees. His bed was neatly made but there was a pile of blankets resting in the near the window that showed signs of wear and tear.

The shape shifter was watching the sun falling into the bay, his stomach had been growling for the past hour. He had exhausted his supply of snacks earlier that morning and was waiting for night to settle upon the Tower before venturing from his room.

"Six more hours," he groaned leaning back on his half sofa. A pile of books rested nearby, all discarded. Gar sighed and closed his eyes for a few minutes.

BANG!

As soon as the noise reached his ears Gar morphed into a tiger. His tail swiped at the air angrily. A harsh knock sounded on his door and he returned to his human form.

"Who's there?"

There was a moment of silence and then another knock, this one more gentle.

"Who's there?"

No knock followed.

Cautiously Gar approached the door. He pressed his ear against the cool metal, listening intently.

"Hello Garfield."

* * *

"Come Friend, only three more and your set will be complete!"

Victor growled as he pushed against the bar. Starfire looked on in excitement as he prepared to lift the weight.

Suddenly a tremendous roar shook the Tower. Starfire gasped and Victor dropped the bar, sending the weights crashing to the ground.

"What the hell was that?"

"It sounded like-"

"Gar," Robin's voice was steel. "Let's go."

The other Titans followed him, pounding up the stairs as another roar filled the air. A crash was heard and they raced towards the living quarters.

"No!"

"Raven!"

Robin reached the door leading to Garfield's room and he felt his jaw drop. The steel door was bent out of its frame and there were deep claw marks on the floor and ceiling. Gar's bed was a mass of feathers and glass littered the floor from a broken light.

"What has happened to our friends?" Starfire asked, as they entered the room. There was no sign of Raven or Gar within.

Victor opened a panel on his arm but Robin held up Gar's communicator, the screen shattered.

"What about Raven?"

"Her signal's still on but it's not tracking."

Robin's teeth ground against each other, "Titans, find them!"

* * *

Raven couldn't help the ridiculous grin on her face. She was standing knee deep in sewage and had lost her cape somewhere along the way but she was still grinning. Somewhere in her bones it felt strange and exhilarating; she rarely was afforded the opportunity to revel in what she _truly_ was. Nearby she felt her prey stir and it sent a thrill of excitement down her spine. Her eyes flicked over to the shadows where she'd hidden him. Soon enough _they_ would find them and she'd have to put the mask back on. Play _nice_ for them until she could get him alone again.

"Raven."

Ah, he'd come to. Excellent.

She had to admire her handiwork. It was thrilling to see him trussed up as he was. Completely at her mercy.

"Raven, please don't do this. Let me go."

_Fear._ Interesting.

The half-demon stepped out of the sewer water and made her way into one of the alcoves. She could practically taste the anxiety rolling off him in waves; she wanted to dive in and explore the source, pull it from him until he screamed and begged her for mercy. But time was so short.

Gar was suspended in a constricted series of ropes and magical bindings. He was crouched low to the ground, his eyes wide and his clothes mangled. Thin, razor like, cuts decorated his body and his left arm hung at an odd angle. He reached out towards her but one of the runes sent a shock through his skin that made him howl in pain.

"Oh Garfield, why are you always so difficult?"

"Fuck you, let me go!"

"Such language from the mouth of a gentleman," Raven taunted. "Or perhaps your human state is just a clever ruse," with a wave of her hand the cage and bonds vanished leaving the changeling open to her. She advanced slowly.

"Shut up!" Gar launched himself at her, his body twisting unconsciously as he tried to morph. Raven flicked her fingers and he was encased in her magic from his neck to his toes. She threw him against the wall and held him there. He struggled against the bonds while she surveyed her prize.

"Face it Gar, your so-called friends could have the truth right in front of their faces and they would still believe in the monster they can't see rather than the one that lives under their nose."

Gar's eyes shrunk into pinpoints and without warning his body burst from its human form into a huge hulking beast. The animal howled in fury, cradling its injured arm. Raven grinned in anticipation.

"So predictable," she laughed.

Gar pounced and caught her underneath his enormous paws, his claws ripping through her Kevlar as if it were paper. She gasped at his weight, felt her ribs shift and snap like matchsticks. Still the grin stayed on her face and she opened her psychic walls to his pain, drinking it up like a dying man. The great animal howled in pain as she delivered a fist to his injured arm. They split apart and threw themselves at each other again and again.

Gar felt like his head was going to split in two. His primal side was powerful but it sapped his energy all too quickly. After another blast of Raven's magic his body twisted back into his human form. He was panting, trying to keep Raven at a distance as she circled him. In a flash she struck him again, her nails ripping into the flesh of his left side and leaving four claw marks in their wake. He cried out in pain and fell to the floor.

"What's the matter? Already tired out?"

The shape shifter snarled at her, "I don't know who you think you are-"

Raven laughed at him, "Are you still holding on to some pitiful belief that _this_," she gestured to her body, "isn't the real Raven? Let me explain something to you, dog."

Gar didn't hear the rest of her words because a roaring in his ears drowned them out. He saw a blast of blue light and felt the singe of a starbolt fly over his shoulder. Both attacks hit Raven full force and the empath flew backwards into the wall. Gar struggled to stand but found himself being spirited away from the battle in Starfire's arms. Her lips were moving frantically but he couldn't hear her. Beneath them he saw the water of the sewer turn red and his heart lurched. Surely his friends wouldn't hurt Raven would they? But then Starfire's fingers found the wounds in his side and the world seemed to snap back to place as pain shot through him like a bolt of electricity.

"-here! Get some pressure on it!"

Robin's cape didn't do much to stop the bleeding, it was resistant to almost everything and didn't absorb the blood pouring from his side.

"Gar," Robin's voice was borderline frantic as he pressed harder against his wound making air slide through his fangs sharply. "Gar, it's ok just breathe okay? You gotta breathe steady and try to calm down."

"R-Raven," he croaked.

"She's down."

* * *

The overhead lights cast an eerie light on his green skin, turning it from jade to something sickly. Victor checked the anesthesia carefully then prodded at the wound on Gar's side. Four claw marks, starting from his chest and ending at the small of his back. It was almost impossible to imagine Raven, his closest friend and the jokester of the Titans, doing such harm.

The door to the room opened and Robin entered. He looked exhausted, none of them had slept since their teammates went missing. Starfire and the Boy Wonder had been called out to help contain a prison riot, they must've just returned.

"How is he?"

Victor finished cutting away Gar's shirt and Robin took a careful look at the injury. The marks weren't very deep but they looked swollen and red, infection perhaps from the sewers?

"It's festering," Victor said confirming his thoughts. "I've cleaned it out already and it still returns. I'll need to keep a close eye on it for the next week. He might need to take leave from duty until it heals."

"What about Raven?"

"She's sedated. I've got her feed going into my sensors, she didn't go down easy."

Robin rubbed at his eyes, "How long until he can wake up?"

"Not long now. The cuts aren't deep enough to warrant stitches and he'd just rip them out anyways. He's going to be very tender for awhile though."

Silence hung between the two Titans as they looked down at their friend. Robin sighed, "How the fuck am I going to tell him about Mento? He's going to kill me."

"I told you not to do that," Vic scolded. "We didn't call you-know-who when you went AWOL. It's going to take a long time to rebuild that trust."

"I know. I just... I don't know how to deal with him sometimes. He's so closed off its like he's not..."

"He's our teammate and our friend."

"I know but-"

Victor slammed his fists on the countertop surprising Robin. His human eye was dark with anger. "You know how many times he's saved my life? I've literally lost count. He would do anything for us. What happened was not his fault and I'm not going to sit here and listen to your bullshit."

Robin's gaze narrowed, "It isn't-"

"Yes it is. You've never completely trusted him and I get it but you don't have to be so fucking obvious about it. He's a good man and he's been through hell and back to get there," Vic turned away from his leader and began collecting more supplies. He heard Robin's boots stomping out of the room and let out a sigh of frustration.

"Vic."

The voice was weary but recognizable. He looked down at Gar who was giving him a very rare grin, fangs and all.

"Thanks."

"You're welcome but I did just give you enough anesthesia to knock out an elephant."

Gar chuckled, obviously loopy from the drugs, "Could be an elephant if you want."

"That's alright buddy," Victor replied as he began cleaning the wounds once more.

* * *

_three days later_

Gar stretched out his side carefully, the injury still pulled uncomfortably but it had finally stopped seeping through his shirts throughout the day. He was under strict orders not to morph until the marks had scarred over. Victor was supposed to approach Raven about healing them but she'd made herself scarce ever since the incident in the med bay.

The beach was deserted and Gar delighted in the salty air, he'd been cooped up in the Tower the past few days being waited on by Victor and Starfire. He appreciated their efforts but he craved solitude and had finally managed to slip away from them during their training session. He walked along the shore, letting the warm water lap at his ankles. The sun was a giant burning orb hanging low on the horizon and he watched a few crabs scuttle out of his path. Up ahead was a collection of boulders where he often sat and relaxed, sometimes sleeping there in the afternoon sun until the tide chased him away.

As he approached the spot he heard a soft mewl that perked his ears. He paused and took a whiff of the air. Jasmine tea and dusty ancient scrolls. Raven.

Gar hesitated for a moment. He hadn't spoken to her since they'd returned to the Tower. Vic had explained how the chemical vat had been full of untested steroids, causing Raven's erratic behavior. She'd been given the antidote and been put in isolation for a full day to make sure the effects had worn off. But since then she'd kept to herself and he'd seen neither hide nor hair of her; although he often caught her scent as if she'd just left the room before he entered.

With a deep breath he stepped over the few rocks, teetering atop them gracefully. More quiet noises reached his ears and he realized that she was crying. That took him aback. He couldn't remember ever seeing Raven cry. It just wasn't something she did. She laughed, she joked, but she wasn't ever sad for long. He paused awkwardly, unsure if he should leave or announce his presence. Another deep sob echoed through the air and he started to turn away.

"I know you're there."

Damn empathy or telepathy, whatever.

"I wasn't-"

"I know," her voice was raspy. He saw her head peek out over the top of one of the boulders. Her violet eyes were red and swollen, her face was blotchy and she looked downright miserable.

"Raven…" he trailed off trying to think of something to say.

While he'd never been extremely close to any of his teammates Gar felt the urge to wrap his arms around Raven in a tight hug. He knew better than most how low she felt. Cautiously, he stepped across the rocks and joined her on the flat rocks. She bit back another sob and drew her sweatshirt hood over her face. He didn't say anything, just looked out toward the ocean.

"Gar," she whispered then stopped. He looked over at her as she searched for something to say. A fresh bout of tears ran down her face. "Fucking shit."

"Alright, easy."

Raven growled in frustration, resting her head on her knees. "What the hell am I supposed to say right now?"

Gar hesitated for a long moment then reached out and pulled the girl under his arm. She broke into a fresh round of sobs and tried to pull away but he held her firmly in his grip.

"Why are you doing this?"

Gar shrugged, "I dunno Rae, shit happens. It's not like I haven't done stupid shit."

"This is beyond just stupid shit. I could've killed you."

"Better women than you have tried," Gar smirked down at her.

Raven fell silent, she was turning a small stone over and over in her thin fingers. Her head was still tucked under Gar's arm and she could feel his heartbeat thumping through his ribs.

"I'm sorry."

"I know," Gar squeezed her tightly. "Rae, I know better than most what it's like to have a monster inside you."

"It's...not the same."

Gar looked at her curiously, "what do you mean?"

Raven bit her lip. She knew that the chemicals had only triggered something, something that normally lay dormant deep within the recesses of her mind. But now that demon was raging inside, whispering horrid things in her ear. She wiped at her tears and smiled at him.

"Nothing, thanks for coming down here to talk to me."

"No problem. Think you can take care of these?"

Raven's eyes wider as he lifted his shirt to reveal the claw marks. While they looked painful she was also captivated by the other scars the crisscrosses even that small section of skin. Her fingertips pressed against the wounds and she drew the pain and poison into her body, she felt filled with a sense of dread but it quickly dissipated. With a shaky breath she pulled her fingers away to see her handiwork. The injury was gone but four white scars were left to add to the map of Gar's body. He gave her another squeeze then picked himself up.

"You coming?"

* * *

_There you go. Ideas, questions, comments? Hit that review button. Kissed by Fire will be updated within the week!_


	4. Anniversary

Sorry this took so long! Enjoy!

* * *

Anniversary

* * *

Raven walked into the common room with bleary eyes. Her shirt was on inside out and backwards, the tag tickling her throat as she walked but she ignored it for the moment. Her feet shuffled towards the fridge of their own accord, she waved sleepily at her teammates who had already gathered around the island table.

"Morning, sleepy head," Victor's voice boomed in her ear making her groan. Her powers engulfed the tea kettle on the stove and sloppily moved it towards the sink while she popped waffles in the toaster.

"Raven, how was your release of midnight?" Starfire asked, her tone more gentle than their large friend.

Raven gave the princess a grin that stretched to both ears. "It was so awesome you guys. I can't believe none of you would come with me."

"And stand around getting gawked at for five hours by crazy fanboys?" Vic scoffed at her, "No thanks."

Raven waved him off, devouring her waffles with enthusiasm. Robin kindly prepared her tea while she stuffed her face. The empath smiled her thanks then swallowed enough to get a few words out.

"Where's Gar?"

The whole team glanced at each other then back to her.

"What?"

"Uh it's July 17th, Rae," Robin answered her questioning stare.

Raven immediately blanched and looked at her friends. "What? It can't be- oh shit it is because that stupid game just came out," she stared down at her empty plate with a scowl. "Fuck, I completely forgot. Do we know where he is?"

Vic gave a half shrug, "Security sweep last night had him up on the roof but I definitely heard him banging around in here way early this morning. I came to check on him but he was already gone when I got here."

Raven sighed, her fingers tapping against the countertop. Her mood had soured and she wanted to slink back out of the room and start the day over again. "I hate this whole week. I mean, I get it but...damn."

Starfire gave her a confused look but didn't say anything. The alien's eyes were sad as she looked around at her friends. The others were silent as well, all of them staring down at their meals.

"Can't we go talk to him?" Raven murmured.

"Remember last year?" Robin replied, "he's not exactly..." The Boy Wonder trailed off unsure how to end that sentence.

"But you guys wouldn't let me just stay in my room all week making myself miserable!" Raven retorted.

"Garfield is...complicated and private. I do not wish to intrude on his time of mourning," Starfire put her hand on Raven's shoulder in companionship. "None of us wish to see him suffer but he has made his wishes to be left alone very clear. To ignore him would be cruel."

Raven sighed, "I know. He just drives me crazy when he's like that. Throws me in a funk of my own."

Victor began clearing the plates from the table, "C'mon Rae, let's go work on your bench press. You need to work off those Ho-Hos."

The sorceress glared at him, "you calling me fat, Tin Man?"

"Now I'd never call a lady fat," Vic replied with a cheeky grin. "You on the other hand..."

Raven's magic enveloped the syrup bottle and squirted it on his head. The scream echoed through the Tower but Raven had already teleported to the hallway outside her room. She cackled with glee for a moment then entered her room.

Raven's room was a conglomeration of old and new. The floor to ceiling bookshelves were stuffed full of ancient magic times peppered with more modern titles along with a huge collection of comic books and detective novels. Her floor was littered with discarded uniforms and workout gear. She turned on the stereo, the music pumping through her bones as she jazzed herself up for the inevitable chase around the Tower from Victor. She danced across the floor, shaking her head wildly through a guitar solo.

Someone pounded on her door and she grinned widely, dancing closer with each heavy strum from the guitar. She pressed the button to open the door, an innocent grin plastered on her face.

But it wasn't Vic, covered in syrup who awaited her, it was Garfield. And he looked pissed.

"What the fuck are you doing?" his words came out in a snarl, his green eyes taking her in with a dull expression.

Raven gaped at him stupidly before she remembered herself. Her powers flicked out and turned the stereo off with a click. The silence enveloped the two Titans. Gar continued to stare at her with that dead look while she kept her gaze fastened on his shirt, which was oddly rumpled and looked as if he'd spilled something all over the front.

"I asked you a fucking question."

She nearly gagged at the scent of vodka flooding into her nose. It smelled like antiseptic, reminded her of a hospital. She took a step back into the sanctuary of her room. Gar didn't move, just regarding her like she was a fly on his back.

"S-sorry Gar, I was just..." she trailed off as he raised a bottle of vodka to his lips and took three or four deep swallows.

"I'm waiting," he slurred.

"Look Gar, I'm sorry if I disturbed...whatever this is but-"

Gar growled threateningly at her, drowning out her words. Without another sound he stalked down the hall, draining the liquor bottle. When he reached his door he paused and Raven wondered if he was going to vomit but instead he turned and launched the bottle at the wall. She winced as it shattered against her door frame. When she looked back up Gar was gone.

Raven stared at the broken glass in disbelief then heard a pair of metal boots approaching. Without thinking she opened a portal and swept the glass inside. Cyborg rounded the corner, his bionic eye flashing as he spotted her. He snickered at her expression.

"What's the matter, Rae-Rae?" he teased, stalking closer.

"Not now, Victor," Raven muttered slamming her door shut and keying in the lock code. She found her headphones and drowned herself in fast paced beats and wailing guitars.

* * *

Raven stayed in her room for the next couple of hours meditating and reading. After a while Starfire joined her and the two girls spent the afternoon in her room enjoying the relative peace and quiet. Once the sun has set Starfire left to search out Robin, leaving Raven to her own devices. The empath prowled around her room, picking up a book then setting it down. She wanted to leave the room but something kept her from stepping across the threshold. It wasn't necessarily that she was _afraid_ of Gar but she'd never seen him drunk before and the experience rubbed her the wrong way. He'd been fairly withdrawn from her since her tangle with the chemicals a month or so ago. She didn't blame him per se but it did cause friction between them during missions.

"Raven?" Victor's voice echoed through her door.

Reluctantly Raven opened the door, knowing full well he deserved anything he was going to throw her way. But Vic didn't have a stankball waiting for her or have his usual mischievous grin. Instead he looked quite grim.

"What's the matter?" she asked immediately.

"It's Gar. He's... causing a nuisance at a bar. Robin asked us to go get him."

Raven groaned slightly, "I don't think he's going to want to see me right now."

"Yeah but you can calm him down or restrain him if he needs it. Robin's the last person he needs to see and Starfire will just get upset. C'mon," he pulled her under his arm and began walking down the hall, "I know he's a pain in the ass but he's our friend and he's in a pretty shitty place right now."

* * *

Victor was right, Gar certainly was in a shitty place.

Literally.

The changeling had somehow wound up in a dive bar with a bunch of bikers and other rough looking types who all eyed the two Titans suspiciously. When Victor walked through the door everyone's eyes shifted towards Gar who was slumped over on the bar top. His jacket was ripped across the back, as if he'd tried to morph and given up halfway through. When Victor put a hand on his back the shape shifter jumped and snarled at him. His eyes were bloodshot and his hair looked almost matted. Raven kept watch on the other customers, magic playing over her fingertips if any of them took advantage of her friends' vulnerability.

"Gar, c'mon lets go home," Vic urged. He pulled gently on the man's arm but had to dodge a wild swing at his head.

"I want him out of here," the bartender complained. "He wouldn't pay for drinks and kept howling like some sort of fucking animal."

Raven saw the air shift as Gar's arm rippled, tiger stripes emerging on the back of his hand. She took a quick step and inserted herself between Gar and the barkeep.

"Victor, please pay Gar's tab. We're going outside," she handed Victor her credit card and pressed her fingers to Gar's face. He snapped his teeth at her but the effort obviously left him dizzy.

"Hate you," he slurred as he tried to stand from his barstool. His knees wobbled dangerously and he collapsed back on the stool.

Raven ignored him, letting her power flow through her fingertips. She eased his raging headache and impressed the memory of his soft warm bed back at the tower upon him.

"Don't you want to go home, Gar?" she asked softly.

The changeling nodded, suddenly looking deeply ashamed. He tried to stand but stumbled backwards into Victor. Raven quickly took his arm and bore his weight on her shoulder, leading him out of the bar and onto the curb. The car was parked a few feet down but Gar couldn't hold himself up. He fell against the side of the building and sat on the sidewalk. Raven considered teleporting him but he'd probably get sick on the ride home. Instead she knelt in front of him, waiting for Victor to help her move him.

"I'm sorry."

Gar's voice was raspy and Raven realized there were tears streaming down his face. She tried to hold his face again, calm his emotions but he pushed her hands away roughly.

"Don't make me forget," his eyes fastened on hers and Raven felt a chill run down her spine as the changeling's emotions were thrust at her. His drunken state had left him open and pulsing with raw, unfiltered pain that scraped against the edges of her soul. Before she could throw up her mental shields a memory pushed through into her mind.

_A woman was screaming. Searing pain ripped through his shoulders and his sobs turned to shrieks as his body twisted into a bird. A calloused hand wrapped around his body and tossed him into the air. Instinct took over as the roaring water loomed, he soared away from the waterfall. _

_"Garfield!"_

Raven stumbled away from Gar, he was obviously unaware of what she'd just witnessed. His chin now touched his chest and he was muttered incomprehensibly. At that moment Victor emerged from the bar.

"He doing alright?"

Raven nodded, pulling her sweatshirt hood up over her face. She carefully gripped Gar by his legs while Victor scooped him up underneath his shoulders. Together they carried the inebriated Titan to the car.

* * *

Gar awoke and thought for certain he was dead. His mouth was sticky and he smelled absolutely rank. With a shaky hand he pushed the blankets away, his shirt was plastered to his body from sweat. His first thought was _shower_ but when he righted himself in bed the whole world spin wildly.

A knock on his door reverberated through his skull. He groaned loudly at the noise.

"Gar?"

Then he groaned louder at Raven's surprisingly quiet voice.

"I brought you some water."

The shapeshifter debated for a moment then sighed. "Come in."

With a soft hiss the door slid open, revealing his teammate. For a moment he felt utterly embarrassed at his state but then he saw the glass of water and bottle of aspirin in her hand. She handed both over wordlessly and watched as he sucked down the full glass in a matter of seconds. She took the glass from his shaky fingers then refilled it from the bathroom sink. He drank it down just as quickly then sank back into his pillows. Raven lingered by his bedside.

"What do you want Raven?"

Raven fiddled with the glass. "Are you hungry?"

Gar's groan reverberated throughout the room. "If you mention food one more time I can't be held responsible for what happens."

"Can I help?"

Gar pondered the question for a moment then looked up at her. She was looking at him but when their gazes met she flushed with embarrassment and averted her gaze.

"What?"

"Nothing."

Gar sighed and rolled over. "Look, thanks for getting me out of the bar. Can you please leave me alone?" he waited to hear the door open but it didn't. He peeked over his shoulder to see Raven still standing there looking distraught. "What Raven? For Christ's sake you've never seen someone with a handover-"

"I saw the waterfall!" The words fell out of her mouth before she could stop them. Raven immediately felt the mood of her teammate shift from annoyed to something icy cold. He visibly stiffened in the bed and drew the blankets closer around him.

"Get out."

"Gar, I'm sorry. I wasn't trying to see anything I swear! You were drunk and it must've been on your mind and-"

"Get out!" his voice was a roar and despite his frail state he rose out of the bed. His lips pulled back from his teeth in anger. Raven could practically taste the rage coming off him.

"Gar, please don't be mad at me."

"Too fucking late. That was..." he trailed off. His chest heaved and for a moment Raven feared he might be sick. But then a great sob wracked his body and he sank back down to the mattress his head held in his hands.

"Leave me alone Raven. Please."

Raven bit her lip, "Gar, you're obviously hurting and I...I don't want to intrude but you're hurting yourself and you could've hurt someone at that bar. Robin was-"

"Fuck Robin."

"I know but... you can't just get shitfaced like that. It's unhealthy and kinda scary. I mean you could've really hurt me with that bottle."

Gar pulled the blankets tighter around himself. "I honestly don't know what you're talking about. I blacked out... I don't even remember being at the bar."

"Well you kinda threw a bottle at my wall because I was playing loud music."

The changeling winced, "I'm sorry."

"Gar, I don't really understand what's wrong and I know you don't want to share it with me," she waved her hands placating at his slight glare, "and you don't have to if you don't want to. I just want...I just want to help. And if that means I just bring you water and aspirin that's fine."

Gar didn't reply, his green eyes were fixated on the edge of his pillow and the grey sheets he'd cocooned himself in. He heard Raven's feet shuffle quietly over his carpet then ever so softly she bent over him. He braced himself for her touch but none came. Instead a rush of warmth cascaded over his entire body. The pounding in his head subsided and he could almost feel the alcohol being pulling from his veins. A soft breath escaped his lips and his eyes felt heavier than they had in weeks.

"Raven..." he wanted to say something to her. She was pulling all this pain and hurt into her body in order to spare him. He deserved to feel this damn it.

"Let it go," her voice sounded far away and he felt her fingers pull the blankets closer around him. The tap in the bathroom ran once more and he barely saw her form head for the door.

"Thank you."

Raven paused, she was probably going to be sick in a moment but those two words warmed her heart. She dimmed the lights and left the changeling to his peaceful slumber.

* * *

Here you go hope you guys enjoyed this one. I'm planning on posting this story and the medieval AU on Tumblr soon I'll link to it as soon as I do so if you like to follow me there you can.

Coming up next will hopefully be a spin-off of Spellbound! :D


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